Meet up with your instructor in the afternoon in front of Tokyo’s Hie Shrine. Throughout the course of your trip your host will not only show you to each location, but also offer personal feedback on your images to improve your work.
Start by capturing a few shots of the Hie Shrine’s collection of red gates and purification fountains, learning from your instructor how to capture an emotional mood and focus on traditional temple elements.
Then hop on train for the short ride to Yushima Seidō, a local Confucian temple. This black-clad religious site offers a stark contrast to the bright-red elements of your previous shooting location, offering a great opportunity to experiment. Work to focus on elements like the temple’s simple geometric shapes and the copper facades found on the eaves.
Make the last photo stop of the day at Kanda-myōjin, another shrine that’s gained popularity with entrepreneurs and businessmen praying for success. The shrine’s wonderful mix of visitors, ranging from women in traditional kimonos to ‘otaku’ heading to nearby Akihabara, offers the perfect setting to gain more experience adding human elements to your imagery. Try to capture various shrine visitors in poses of prayer, along with the site’s attendants. Your excursion will end here.
